Repeat guest for your restaurant? This book tells you how!
A repeat guest is a welcome part of any business. More so in the restaurant industry where choices abound and new dining experiences and restaurants seem to open and close on almost a daily basis.
While there are many ways to get repeat guest in your restaurant – Loyalty cards, Community, Engage with the guest through various social media channel etc, in this article we will look at excerpts from a book.
The book is peppered with psychology lessons and goes through the importance of taste, smell and all the senses to create an experience.
The book is an interesting read for someone who wishes to understand the why and how of restaurant buisiness and the author goes into great detail as to how to make dining an experience.
How to make sure your restaurant gets repeat guest?
In the book in a chapter called The meal remembered, the author walks us through points on how to make the experience worthwhile for guest so that they remember the restaurant and return back to the restaurant.
What do guest remember?
According to the author, it turns out to be something that helped to craft an experience. A kind deed done by the waiter, a chef stopping by on the table to craft something special.
In the world of excessive buffet and dishes that people do not remember at the end of the meal, kindness and personalisation can help guest return back to the hotel.
Here is an action excercise for you today.
Scan through your restaurant trip advisor reviews. For every positive feedback, divide the comment into people-centric or food-centric.
Then if you have a database, check to see how many guest came back or are repeat guests.
Chances will be that people who complimented team members for helping create a memorable meal might come back to the restaurant.
Consistency
While guest crave new experience and food, according to the author, having continuity of menu is a sure way of generating repeat guest.
Have one or five signature dishes that do not change in the menu. In fact, the best know restaurants, like Bukhara and Peshawari at ITC have not changed their menu since it first launched.
The reason is that when your guest in not in mood for any experimentation, they are looking for comfort and nostalgia.
Most repeat guest want a consistent experience and wish that their meal is good.
They want to walk in to a restaurant, be recognised by someone, eat food they are comfortable with and go home.
If they get these, they are more likely to become repeat guest.
The end game
Diners will usually remember the end of the meal. A superlative dessert experience or a departing gift will last longer in memory.
If possible for special dinner, let the guest take the menu back with them. Looking back at these at home will create a sort of recollection and positive memories about your restaurant experience.
That in itself will create a craving to revisit the restaurant, months later when the meal is all but forgotten.
The book Gastrophysics is a great book filled with tips and tricks to help you increase your restaurant experience and repeat guest.